[outdoorlover]

Dear Bangalore Team BHP-ians, I wanted to share my recent bad experience with Dakshin Honda, Hosur Road and wanted to check how the experience of other BHPians have been at this Honda dealtership.

I had given my car for repair under innsurance claim at Dakshin Honda wherein the insurance company had approved the replacement of the running board (it had been badly scratched by a protruding stones being kept on the road side by our BBMP for road repair work). When I visited the workshop to check on the progress of the work, I discovered to my surprise that Dakshin Honda had cut a small piece of the running board and was welding that to the remaining part of the original running board of the car instead of replacing the entire running board as approved by the insurance company.

I found this to be an extremely fraudulent act and immediately brought it to the notice of the Service Manager who agreed to get the part and replace it. Sharing it here to highlight the lack of integrity of the A.S.S. and cautioning others to be careful.

[GTO]

Mod Note: Thread moved to the dealerships forum, thanks for sharing!

If you can't trust an authorised dealer with such work, who can you trust?! Sad situation.

[lapis_lazuli]

Is the running board a seperate part like a fender or a door? It is part of the monocoque build. I am not sure if replacing with a new running board is even possible! A damage is usually pulled out with dent pullers, ground to smoothen, puttied and painted. It is not a bolt on part, if I am not mistaken. Often welding may also be required for serious damage.

[outdoorlover]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

Is the running board a seperate part like a fender or a door? .

The running board is a separate part for the entire stretch below the doors and can be replaced. Obviously it is welded to the body to fix it. Cutting a piece and welding it like the workshop has done currently compromises the structural integrity of the vehicle.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

I discovered to my surprise that Dakshin Honda had cut a small piece of the running board and was welding that to the remaining part of the original running board of the car instead of replacing the entire running board as approved by the insurance company.

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

The running board is a separate part for the entire stretch below the doors and can be replaced. Obviously it is welded to the body to fix it. Cutting a piece and welding it like the workshop has done currently compromises the structural integrity of the vehicle.

If I remember from the old days, it seems the dealer has probably done the right thing by not removing the whole board. Being a monocoque chassis, a new running board would have needed to be welded across the body and not at just the ends. Now the whole build remains the same as from the factory, just a joint in the middle.

You should speak to someone senior and technical at the dealership to understand more. I maybe wrong.

[jkrishnakj]

There could be the ‘plastic’ panels of the running beneath which could be the aluminium metal parts. I’m guessing (please speak to a senior person in the service centre) that the outside layer is replaced and the welding is to take care of the metal areas of the running board. I could be completely wrong though.

[outdoorlover]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

If I remember from the old days, it seems the dealer has probably done the right thing by not removing the whole board. Being a monocoque chassis, a new running board would have needed to be welded across the body and not at just the ends. Now the whole build remains the same as from the factory, just a joint in the middle.

You should speak to someone senior and technical at the dealership to understand more. I maybe wrong.

The dealership doesnot have any trustworthy technical person except the test-drive guy who is really good. I have escalated the issue to Honda customer service in their HO and asked them to check and do the right thing. The owner of this Honda dealership (Elite Automobiles) also has a VW dealership and there too they donot have a position of trust with the customers.

[ashivas89]

The "running board" is nothing but the sill in a car with a monocoque construction. It is an integral load bearing member and is not a separate part. It is in-fact stamped with the entire side of the car frame as a SINGLE PIECE.

It CANNOT be replaced. It can only be repaired in the case of minor issues. If the entire sill is to be replaced, it has to be CUT from the B Pillar in the middle, the floor along its length and at either ends from the wheel wells. And then be rewelded. Now, think about how implausible this is.

OTOH, the work being done in this case is entirely plausible based on the images shared. The issue here could merely be with the the wording.

If they are charging you around 30k for this job item on the list, i would say it is entirely legitimate (i was charged 30k for an even more inane dent fix on the sill by Hyundai).

Chill and give them a chance to fix your car.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

The dealership doesnot have any trustworthy technical person except the test-drive guy who is really good.

I called someone known at a BMW Dealership and per him, the weld done in the centre like in your case will not give a proper finish. This part is added over the main chassis, more like an apron.

Don't know about your car but if the new part from Honda will be something like the below Dzire, then you should ask them to change full piece.

check this after around 40-sec mark.

https://youtu.be/3he_kZWjBjI

[ashivas89]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Don't know about your car but if the new part from Honda will be something like the below Dzire, then you should ask them to change full piece.

check this after around 40-sec mark.

Yikes! This looks incredibly dangerous. They are severely compromising the structural integrity of the BiW (Body in White) of the car. This might work cosmetically..but structurally? I am extremely skeptical.

But.. if it is standard practice to do this and if the OP is okay with such a surgery purely for a seamless look cosmetically, then I rescind my previous comment.

[DRIV3R]

I don't see any fault on dealer's side here. The whole side panel including running board comes as a single piece of panel, which also includes the A,B,C Pillars.

Cutting damaged portions and welding with similar cuts from new panel is the way this would be repaired. Whether the dealer cut more or lesser than optimal is another discussion. Isolating the repair area to as small as possible is best always, rest of the panel being part of the factory finish.

[outdoorlover]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

I don't see any fault on dealer's side here. The whole side panel including running board comes as a single piece of panel, which also includes the A,B,C Pillars.

I'm afraid that is incorrect. I have seen the part that comes as running board from Honda and claimed from insurance at Rs 19500 by the dealer; it stretches for the entire bottom of the doors and bends upwards at the ends. It doesnot include all the pillars mentioned by you.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

I'm afraid that is incorrect. I have seen the part that comes as running board from Honda and claimed from insurance at Rs 19500 by the dealer; it stretches for the entire bottom of the doors and bends upwards at the ends. It doesnot include all the pillars mentioned by you.

It may not, as a "Honda" thing, but you would need to have the pillars cut and re-welded at workshop level, if you are adamant to accomodate the panel as a whole. Below is the panel in question I believe, which I have taken off from Boodmo for 6th Gen City.

[Kosfactor]

Please do not replace what can be repaired at a nominal cost and effort. A patch repair also is a proper repair job - when done correctly.

In this specific case if the damage is at the center of the running board, just repair that part and do not disturb the welds and body sealers in the remaining parts of the running board, that is just unnecessary.

I do not know how insurance guys do what they do, pretty sure dealers also stand to benefit from what they do.

[Omkar]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

I had given my car for repair under innsurance claim at Dakshin Honda wherein the insurance company had approved the replacement of the running board (it had been badly scratched by a protruding stones being kept on the road side by our BBMP for road repair work). When I visited the workshop to check on the progress of the work, I discovered to my surprise that Dakshin Honda had cut a small piece of the running board and was welding that to the remaining part of the original running board of the car instead of replacing the entire running board as approved by the insurance company.

I found this to be an extremely fraudulent act and immediately brought it to the notice of the Service Manager who agreed to get the part and replace it. Sharing it here to highlight the lack of integrity of the A.S.S. and cautioning others to be careful.

After reading the original post and comments here's my take:

- If the service centre or the insurance company didn't inform you that they were repairing it, both of them are at fault.
- Repair over replacement isn't always a bad thing. You can save some money.
- From what I see your car is 5+ years old, so you will anyway have to pay 50% of the part cost in depreciation. In addition, the difference between insurance-approved costs & service centre costs, the labour, paint material costs, and compulsory deductible.
- From the Workshop's perspective - Repair is more beneficial than Replacement. They don't have to wait for the part to arrive. No need for money to get stuck (until insurance money is cleared). The car won't occupy workshop space.
- From the Insurance company's perspective - Repair is again more beneficial. They have to pay less money to you.
- From the customer's perspective - Depends. If you aren't worried about spending and want a part replacement, you can request the insurance company for the new part. Since they had already approved the new part, you can contest by saying that you are ready to pay the depreciation, but you want the new part.

Waiting for your next update.